Allmähliches

Allmähliches is a German noun that denotes the process or quality of changing gradually. It is the nominalized form associated with the adjective allmählich, meaning gradual or incremental. While Allmählichkeit is the more common noun for the notion of gradualness, Allmähliches can appear in phrases such as “das Allmähliche” or within sentences describing a change that unfolds over time.

In usage, the term appears across disciplines to describe progress that occurs step by step rather than in sudden leaps. In science, allmähliches change corresponds to the idea of gradualism, where small, cumulative variations and influences accumulate to produce noticeable effects. In politics and sociology, reforms may be characterized as allmählich when they are implemented through incremental policies rather than sweeping overhauls. In literature, aesthetics, and philosophy, allmähliches conveys a sense of continuity, nuance, and slow development.

Related terms include allmähig (gradual) and schrittweise (stepwise), while English equivalents are gradualness or gradualism. The concept emphasizes pace, continuity, and cumulative impact, and it is often used to describe processes in history, science, and policy where the tempo of change matters for interpretation, planning, and outcomes. Overall, allmähliches highlights the slow, steady progression that characterizes many natural and social developments.